Libraries in Wokingham could undergo a massive review if plans to outsource control of them to a private company are approved.

Under proposals set to be approved by Wokingham Borough Council’s executive this week the council will tender for a private company to take control of the borough’s 10 libraries in May 2012 in a bid to save £170,000 a year.

The council has said it is not closing any libraries but one of the first tasks for the contracted company would be to conduct a full review of library locations to assess their efficiency.

Councillor UllaKarin Clark, executive member for community development, said: “Money is tight and we have to find new and more efficient ways to deliver our services.

“What we want to continue to do is a proper review of whether libraries are in the best locations and buildings so we know that we have got 99.6 per cent of our population within two miles of a library.”

Wendy Crosson-Smith, head of libraries and lifelong learning, said she was “fairly confident” that all library staff would be transferred to the new company and there would be no job losses.

Ms Crosson-Smith said: “We have already looked at the efficiency of the libraries so over the last five years any restructures that we have had we have made it very efficient in terms of staff.

“Initial market research has already recognised there’s not massive savings to be made in terms of staff.

“We are fairly confident that all library staff would be carried on.”

The council would spend £2.1 million on its libraries in the next financial year without privatising libraries. If it does outsource the facilities, its spend would be around £1.9 million.

If the proposals are approved by the executive committee the council would begin a tender process next month and a contracted company could be in place by May next year.

The change would also mean Wokingham is only the second authority to outsource its library services to a private company, following the London Borough of Hounslow.

The leader of the Wokingham Liberal Democrats, Cllr Prue Bray, branded the proposals “appalling” and said there would still be uncertainty about whether libraries would be closed.

She said: “Privatising libraries is something only one other council has done before. There’s a strong objection to private libraries and it’s not at all clear what will be provided and what might close because it was not cash viable.

“It has come completely out the blue and just after an election which I think is not really on.

“I do not know what they’re trying to achieve with this other than palm the libraries off on someone else and then blame someone else when they shut them. It’s appalling.”

But Richard Alexander, libraries and information manager, said being one of the first councils to outsource its libraries would be advantageous.

He said: “We think by being one of the first we will be in a better position to influence how it goes.

“We have already been improving services and we have got ideas about how to do that and if we are in partnership we are going to be in a far better position.”

Cllr Clark said the transformation of library services was being taken in response to increasing pressures on library services which have seen facilities up and down the country being forced to shut their doors for good.

In Wokingham from 2009 to 2010 there were 433,740 physical visits to libraries compared to 464,740 the previous year.

As part of an 18-month review into the library services the council considered alternative options such as retaining the service in-house but said if the option were to be selected “major closures” would be required.

It was predicted that closure of three libraries would only save £75,000 a year and there would be insufficient funds to transform the service.

If a tender contract is handed over to a private company it is hoped investment in technology and other areas would be on offer to modernise the service.

The Taxpayers’ Alliance praised Wokingham Borough Council for looking into ways to save money but warned a partnership would have to be “carefully negotiated”.

Emma Boon, from the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s fantastic that Wokingham is looking at ways to save taxpayers’ money.

“Any partnership with a private sector provider must be carefully negotiated and managed to ensure that it will make savings without reducing the quality of service that residents receive.

“Libraries often play an important role in the community but they can and should be run more efficiently.”

Cllr Clark said: “Libraries across the country have been in decline due to technological advancement, growing competition from the Internet and rising expectations from library users.

“In Wokingham library services has already responded proactively to these changes and that includes the opening of the FBC Centre.”

The FBC Centre is the first community hub in the borough, incorporating a library within a larger community centre, and Cllr Clark said similar ventures would be welcomed by the council.